Culture of Suspicion: Riots and Rumor in Bombay, 1992‐1993

Abstract

This paper focuses on the remembrance of events of extreme violence — the Bombay Riots of 1992‐1993 — and their articulation in the everyday consciousness of individuals in the city. Using ethnographic material, the paper examines how constructions of identity such as "Hindu" and "Muslim" acquire habitual forms and circulate as everyday beliefs. These form the basis for what is termed a 'culture of suspicion,' which, in turn, forms the foundation for the fantastic beliefs that fuel violent attacks during riots, as well as provides the systems of familiarity and habit that permit a return to an uneasy routine. The paper addresses the set of structural explanations provided for these riots by directing attention towards everyday understandings and throwing into question the very ethnographic enterprise that attempts to interpret violence.